Heilmann-type comber.



' 6.1M. WHITN.

mum/mw MPE coMEfi.

` APPLICATEON NLE() FEB. i4' 19M. j ygtyh Pmentd July 23, 1918.

INVENTOR.

"Y ATTORNEY G. NI.. WHHIN.

HEILWIANN TYPE COMBER. APPLICATIoN FILED FEB.:4,1914.

L i 9% wenn@ July 23, 19m.

3SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. III. WHIIIII.

HEILIVIANIII TYPE COIVIBER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4, 191,4.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wim/55555 Iw r IN1/M1701?. /KK M' A TTOR/VE X Patentad July 23, 1918.v

FFICE. A

GEORGE M. WHITIN, 0F WHTTINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITIM IVIACI-INE WORKS, OIE WHITINSVILLE, ,MASSACHUSETT A CORPORATIUN 0F MASSA- CHUSETTS. i

Herrmann-TYPE cci/linnn.

To all whom t may concern: y

Be it known that ll, GEORGE M. WHrrIN, a citizenV of the United States, residing` at Whitinsville, in the'county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented the following described new and useful limprovements in 4Heilmann-Type Combers.

llhe object of the invention is to improve the combing efficiency of lcotton combers of the Heilmann type and more especiallyl to prevent loss of good fiber in the form of waste., rlFothis end the invention consists of a newcomb motion by which the top comb is depressed to its full extent ata point in advance of the tails of the irst fibers passing thereunder, and from a point sufficiently elevated at the moment when the detaching roll is receiving thehead end of the fringe or tuft, as not to impede the free passage of the fringe thereunder. The new motion thus permits the tufts to be `more securely nippedV by the detaching roll before the top comb teeth' settle therein andinsures that the tuft receives the full combing action of the top comb,` thereby 'producing a marked improvement in the quality of the sliver and materially reducing the percentage of waste. The invention also consists in a new relation of the lap-feed mechanism to the other parts of the machine andparticularly to the top comb motion first referred to, all as will' be hereinafter fullyexplained i and more particularly pointed out in ,the claims.

In lillustration of-the invention reference maybehad to anycommon type of H eilmann comber, such as represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1,2 and 3 represent vertical transverse sections of the detaching elements of the comber with the parts in several successive-positions.- i Fig. G, a graphic representation of the path of Vthe top `comb withrelation to the segment; i I

Fig; 5, a `view ling means; y c

fFigli, a top plan of a comber frame including 'the invention but omitting numerous `parts ofthe :well-known structure not directly pertinent lto the invention and Fig. 7 is aldiagrammatic viewiusection indicating the relation ofthe feed mechanism `drive to the other parts. Y The comb cylinder shaft 1 may be comof the' top comb control- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 23, 1918..` Application filed February la, 1914. Serial No. 818,616. i i i mon to all of the combing heads of the machine,`as shown in Fig. t, `carrying`acombcylinder for each head, each of which cylinders comprises a needle half-lap 2 and a detaching half-lap or segment 3, the former for combing the forward orhead end of the fringe of lap that is held by the nippers` andthe latter for detaching such fringe in the form of a tuft. rlFhe nippers comprise a lower jaw or cushion-plate l so called, and an oscillating movable jaw or nipperknife 5. lihecushionplate may be mounted on the machine frame to be operative in about the position indicated, andthe nipper knife may be carried bythe "arms 6, of any suitable form andniode" of operation. The feed rolls 7 and 8 behind the nippers are held under'nippingpressureby the springpressed feed-roll arms 9, andare operated at the appropriate time to advance the end of the lap through the open nippers. rllhe l lower feed roll 7 is `formed on a shaft eX- tendingthe length of the machine, as usual, and is driven by a gear 24- at its end which gear is driven by a pinion 25, the latter being connected to a star-wheel 26 to be operated once on every revolution of the comb cylinder sha-ft, l, by a stud wheel 27 carried on the latter. `Fig. 7 `represents the relation ofthis` gearing, but for convenience,l of illustration omits the journals and supporting brackets'which may be assumed to be of any suitable character. The drawing doesnot attempt togive an` accurate representation of the gear ratios ofthe mechanism, and itr will be understood that they be such asto feed the lap forwardly a desireddistance on each operation, that *is to say about a quarter or three-eighths of an inch under ordinary circumstances. The fe'edrolls might be driven by otheri agencies thanabove described, as will laterfappear, `and in` any event are so arranged as to afford ashort path from their bite-line, `on fwhich they hold the lap, `to the bite-line of. thedetaching roll on thesegment.l For this purpose the top feed roll 8 of` relatively `small diameter `and held by its holder arms-9 on the forward side of `the lower roll, as described'and shown ina co-pending application, filed J une 13, 11913.

ica

segment neXt engages the combed fringe and presses or grips it against the under side of the detaching roll 10, with which the segment cooperates to detach the tuft from the body of the lap. The needles of the half-lap 2 will have acted on the fringe up to the point markedI a Fig. 1, all of the lap behind that point having been. held by the nippers during the cylinder combing. The detaching roll is assumed to be a leather-covered roll, in the present case, and to be rotated by vits frictional engagement with the segment,

but that-might'be otherwise so far as this invention 'is concerned, As shown herein also, the segment is radially'higher on the cylinder shaft'than the points of the needle half-lap so ythat the detaching roll 10 may thusnormally occupya position on fixed end seats, on which seats it will escape the needles and be engaged by the segment; vbut f this also might be otherwise, so. long` as the roll and segment are brought into engagement at the proper time. When such engagement ltakes .place the head end of the partly combed-tuft `is gripped thereby and drawn away from the `main body ofthe lap,

heldfby the' feed. rolls, the `nippers being then open, or opening, andis passed forward to the means byfwhich such tufts are overlappedV or pieced with otherpreviously detachedtufts.l The piecing may take place according to the usual or any suitable manner andthe means for doing it aretherefore not shown herein. They may, for example,

consist ofv anV intermittently or alternately rotated piecing roll engaging the detaching roll, suchl as shown in Rooney Pra-tent No. 822,479, or of.Y agseparate system of rolls,

' 1 such :as shown, for eXample, in the co-pendingapplication filed June 13, 1913. While the tufti's being thus drawn forward by the coactionof the `detaching roll and segment, theftail endsof its component fibers are combed bythe top comb 11. This comb may,

matically on each nip of the comber. For this purpose the shaftcarries slee'vexlug 14, with ai thrustscrewl therein, adapted to abut against an opposing short arinlG extended downwardly from the hub ofthe top comb arm 12,*z`thisbeing a us'ual'form of connectionbetweenthe top comb shaft and vthe top comb,in all comberiswher'e thecombs are mechanicallyv li'fted.- It willjbe understoodffromliig. 4L that thes'ha'ft`13 Vextends -V through all the heads offthe machine, and

i l thatall the xtopcomb arms of the machine are mounted thereon in a similar manner,

In order that the combing by the top comb maybe complete and thorough, it should penetrate the tuft at a point in advance of the point a above referred to, and for the best effect it should also be well settled in the tuft at or before that point, since the combing efiiciency of the top comb is directly proportional to the depth to which its teeth enter the tuft. The present invention brings the comb promptly to its full penetration in the tuft. In those prior art combers which have oscillating top combs, the latter approach the tufts with a gradual movement, and in order to reach the point of lowest depression immediately after the detaching roll has taken hold of the fibers (or so as to engage the tufts in advance of the point a) they must start their depressing movement well in advance of the beginning of the detaching period, in which case, however, and bccause ofthe gradual character of the descent and relative high speed of the tuft, they will be so low when the head of the fringe is approaching and entering under the detaching roll as to encounter and obstruct many of the best fibers, making waste Aof them; and if the timing of the top comb is retarded so as te be in a non-obstructive position at the moment of said approach and entrance, then it will not reach its lowest and most effective position until after the foremost fibers composing thetuft have passed beyond it, and a comb so controlled can in no event become fully depressed in advance of the point a, without blocking a great many of the fibers and making waste of them. The same is true ofthe stationary top comb. To eliminate this waste and at thesame' time gain the benefit of thorough top-comb combing, I control the depressing motion so that while the comb may start to descend (if desired) before the tuft enters under the roll, or at any desired point according to the setting, it nevertheless does not reach an obstructive or waste-making position until the roll has gripped the tuft and then, being very close, and almost in combing relation, to thetuft, it suddenly descends the rest of the way quickly reaching its lowest and most eflective point. Since the foremost fibers are all gripped and held by the detaching roll, at that instant, onlyjthe leaf and very short fibers will be retained by the top comb.

' Figs. 1, 2 and 3 represent three successive positions of the descending top comb controlled in the manner first referred to. In Fig.V 1 the detachingrollis ust about to' nip the head of the advancing tuft against the segment; the -top comb is Well' above it and notk obstructing the entry ofthe fiber heads thereunder. In Fig. 2the head of the tuft is firmly gripped by the detaching roll, and `the top comb has descended slowly and very slightly,-a preparatory move1nent,-to the navegan point where it is ready for its quick descent. ln- Fig. 3 it has dropped its full extent well within the length of the first fibers of the tuft (which cannot be readily illustrated in this ligure), and also somewhat in advance of the point a above referred to. 'lhe final descent is so rapid that it takes place before the segment and detaching roll have Aadvanced the first fibers from below the top comb. ln-Fig. 6, for convenience of observation, the path of motion of the de,- pressing top comb is graphically dia*` grammed, assuming the segment and the tuft upon it to be stationary and that the top comb has angular movement about the center 1, in addition to its controlled descent. lf radius h in this diagram represents the point where the head ends of the tuft are firmly gripped by the detaching roll, radius a will correspond to the point a: above referred to, that is to say, to the point to which the tuft has been combed by the needle halfslap of the cylinder, as above eX- plained, and c' may represent the general positionon the segment of the tail ends of the foremost fibers. The top comb'starting from a point in advance of the radius and well elevated above the segment, which point may represent its highest elevation, descends slowly toward the point of intersection (g) with the dotted circle d. 'if his circle represents a permissible degree of elevation of top comb above the segment which will not obstruct the passing of the tuft under itto the extent of wasting good fibers, such as the top comb ordinarily throws down when in its operating position during the gripping of the tuft by the detaching roll; its position can be readily determined in any comber.` For convenience of reference and also for lack of a better term, the degree of elevation represented by this circle will be referred to herein andin the claims as the waste limit, since it represents an elevation at which the comb will no longer be encountered by the upturned forward ends of thetuft fibers passing beneath it so as to turn back such fibers making waste thereof as above explained. 1t will be seen that the' path of the top comb,`represente`d by the heavy line, intersectsthe radius` `well above this waste limit circle,indicating1 that the said comb is therefore nonobstructive to thefibcrs yat the moment of cletachiiig-rollgripping. From its point` of intersection with "the circle CZ, the path inclines abruptly downward to the dotted circle e, representing the sudden"`descent`of the teeth. `This circle `represents the lowest `working depression ofthe topfcomb, and is generally elevated abovethe surface of the segment a distance which will be just sufficient to prevent contact therewith; the lower it canbe, the better will be the combing. The' path `meets the circle in the case illustrated in `point g where the arm rides olf the end of F ig. (i, somewhat in advance of bothradii c and a, that is to say before the passing of the still uncombed portion of the tuft lying between a: and c. rlhe abrupt part of the top comb path should be as steep as possible and should in any event take place between the radii and c, and preferably between the radii c and a, so that the whole of each of the foremost fibers ofthe tuft will be thoroughly combed by the top comb in its lowest position.

ln attaining such abrupt depression of the oscillating top comb, l may use various lnechanical means but prefer a simple cam such as indicatedin lfig. 5, arranged to operate the arm 17 of the comb shaft 13. The latter shaft is journaled in the rear portions of the frame uprights 23 between the combing heads, as usual, and at the delivery end of the machine carries a` weighted arm 17 serving as a counter-balance tending to minimizethe effect of torsion in the shaft. rlfhe free end of the camarm 17 is provided with aI weanpiece by which it rests on the edge of the hardened steel cam 18, and the latter is mounted on a shaft, such as-19, which is to be understoodas rotating in phase with the comb cylinders. r)Che gearing for-this purpose is indicated only in a general way in Fig. 4, but the cam could be mounted on the comb cylinder shaft, 1, or elsewhere as desired and according to the character of thel drive head. lt is only necessary that it operate the top combs once for each nip of the machine. lts contour provides an easy or gradual lifting of the arm 17 and the top combs, which mayI begin from a point suoli as s and continue to a point such as 7', and is followed by a gradual declineto the thecam, giving the abrupt depression `al-` ready indicated at 7p", g, in lfig. G. rlhe cam is set on its shaft so that the edge g1 passes the nose of the arm 17 at a point corresponding to g in the diagram, so that the final and complete depression thus takes place before the fibers have passed beneath the comb as already explained. The abrupt drop of the cam need be only sufficient to bring the points of the top comb teeth from thewaste limit o-r slightly above it, to thedeepest penetration (circle `c),"anr`l whenthearm rests onthe low part of the cam, it is desirable that all the stop screws 20 of the top comb y arms 12, shall also be simultaneously resting on their fixed abutments 21, so that lostmol tion and torsion inthe shaft 13, as well as tendency to rebound will be avoided so far as possible. `ln o-rder to hasten 'the action of the arm` 17, a strong spring 22 isv applied 125 thereto, acting in the obvious manner.`

"While other forms of quick depression 'mechanism n'iight obviously be employed, l

prefer a cam such as1 just described, which V raises the combs slowly and drops them ab- Vthe most efficient combing action.

ruptly, and more particularly a cam which begins to lower the combs toward the waste limit in advance of the abrupt descent, as provided by the gradual decline f1, g1, but the invention is not limited to this preferred form, except as pointed outin the claims.

The gradual raising of the top comb, and

which occupies the greater part of the cycle of one nip, serves also to distribute the load on the cam and hence on the machine as a whole. It will be noted that.' the topcomb rises and falls'alwaysin the same path. Y The top comb axis, or operating shaftl, may occupy its'usual position and is desirably located sufficiently low with respect tol the `feed and det-aching rolls to' prevent retrograde movement of the needles with respect to the tuft, that is to say, so that the needles will swing directly into the tuft and forwardly ratherthan vrearwardly during the act of penetration therein, and it will be evident that such shaft or axis can be disposed lower Vdown than indicated in Fig. 1. The detaching roll 10, it will also be evident, should be as slender as consistent with the width of the lap served by the comber, in order that the top'comb vmay enter the tuft as near as possible to the bite'lineupon the segment. v

vThe time relation of the lap feed mechanism to the other parts is indicated by Fig. 7 wherein it will be seen that the'stud 27 enters and starts the rotation of the starwheel 26 immediately after detachment, that is to say, the lap-is advanced immediately following the separation yof the tuft from thebody of the lap and not prior to or during the detachment as heretofore. Such timing ofthe feed results in a longer fringe left projecting from the closed nippers to be combed by the cylinder needles 2, thereby b eneiting ythe appearance of the resulting sliver because of the better polishing given to the fibers. In the present case such timing also directly coacts with the new top comb kmotion,since ,fthe point a: is thus held back, as it were, until after the top comb has completed its abrupt descent, thus insuring y Otherwise the feedfrolls might advance the tuft toofar for the, top `comb to reach its point of deepest penetration (circle e) in advance ofthe point (or radius) a which would Asacrifice thoroughness of combing by so much.- However, the new top comb motion maybe and-is used with such early timing of the feed, since thereby a slightly less percentage Vof ywaste vis made than -when the feed .takes place Qafterdetachment; and in any event, the angular position of the stud 27 on the shaft 1, is made adjustable, sothat the feed' may be set totake place at either time, that is toy say, either previously to detachment,subsequently thereto or coincidently therewith, according as it may be desired to produce the very lowest, percentage of waste or the very best quality of combing. The control of the top comb above described serves in either case to improve the eiiciency of the comber as a whole and as will be evident from the explanation above made.

l claim:

l. In a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination with the lap feed mechanism, the comb cylinder, the detaching segment thereon and a detaching roll engaged by the segment, of an actuated top comb and controlling means therefor producing a gradual rise andrelatively .abrupt descent of said comb in the same path, such descent taking place during the engagement of said roll with the tuft.

2. In a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination of the comb cylinder having a dctaching segment and a detaching roll engaged thereby, of an oscillated top comb and means for controlling the same, comprising a cam, formed to gradually raise and permit abrupt depression of the top comb in the same path.

3.- In a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination of the comb cylinder having a detaching segment, a detaching roll engaging the latter, and an oscillated top comb, controlled to move from its waste limitc., the position ofapproach to the tuft in which it begins to ,throwdown \vaste,-to its lowest depression during the interval between the gripping of the tuft on the segment and the passage of the first fibers thereunder.

Ll. In a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination with a cylinder having a needlehalf-lap and a detaching segment, means for holding `the lap in contact with the needle-half-lap, and a detaching roll .engaging the segment, of an ,actuated top comb controlled to move from its waste limit-i1 c., the position of approach to the tuft in which it begins to throw down waste,-to its lowest depression during the interval between tlie gripping of the head of the tuft and the passing of the cylinder-combed portion theerof beneath the top comb.

5. In a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination with the lap feed mechanism, the comb cylinder having a detaehing segment and a detaching roll to engage it, of a depressing top comb and means for moving the same from an elevation above its waste limit,-'. e., the position of approach to the tuft in which-it begins to throw down waste,-tlirough such limit to its lowest depression during the interval lbetween the gripping of the head of the tuft upon the segmentand the passing of the foremost iibers from beneath the top comb.

6. In a Heilmann cotton comber, means for nipping and feeding the lap, a comb cylinder provided with a needle half-lap I.and a detaching segment, a detaehing roll engaging the latter to detach the tutt, means for starting the feeding means atter such detachment and a top comb engaged with the said tutt prior to the detachment.

7. lin a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination oif the lap nipping and feeding means, the comb cylinder having a detaching segment, a detaching roll coacting therewith to detach a tutt from the lap, means for starting the feeding means im mediately after tuftdetachment, a depressing top comb and means for causing the same to move from its waste limit-71. c., the position of approach to the tutt in which it begins to throw down waste,-to its low- `est depression in the interval during the passage of Jche foremost iibers of the tutt beneath it.

8. ln a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination with the lap feeding and nipping means, the comb cylinder having a detaching segment, a detaching roll to engage the latter, and an oscillated top comb rising and falling in the same path, oi controlling means for the latter comprising a top comb shaft, an arm connected to the latter, and a rotary cam engaging the arm, the contour of such cam including an edge adapted to ride underthe arm and permit a quick depression of the top comb.

9. ln a Heilmann cotton comber, the combination of a series of combing heads comprising means for feeding and combing the laps and detaching the tufts and including a top comb for each head, an actuating shaft for the top combs, means for operating the shaft, to give a quick depression oi the top combs directly following the tnift-engage ment, and means applied to said shaft to reduce the torsional displacement therein on such depression.

10. ln a l-leilmann type cotton combcr, the combination oi a series of combing heads comprising detaching rolls and top combs, an actuatilng` shaft lfor the top combs, means for operating the shaft to give a quick depression of the top' combs and a counter weight on the shaft.

11. ln a Heilmann type cotton comber the combination with the lap feeding and nipping means, a comb cylinder having a detaching segmhent and a detaching roll therefor, of a top comb and controlling means therefor, comprising a spring and a cam device whereby the top comb is subject to quick depression during the iforward passage oi the tutt upon the seg ment.

12. ln a Heilmann type cotton comber, the combination of a top comb shaft having a series oit' top combs actuated thereby, detaching segments and detaching rolls for the latter, and controlling means whereby the top combs are depressed from the waste limit-a'. c., the position ci approach to the tutt in which it begins to throw down waste,-to the point of lowest depression during the passing of the forward iibers of the tutt thereunder.

18. ln a Heilmann type cotton comber, the combination with feed rolls and nipper jaws, a comb cylinder having a halt-lap and a detaching segment, and a detaching roll engaging the latter, oi a top comb adapted to oscillate between the nippers and detaching roll and controlling means therefor comprising a spring and means :tor sustaining the top comb at or above its waste limit,-i. e., the position of approach to the tutt in which it begins to throw down waste,-and dropping the same under the action of said spring, during the passage of the tait beneath the top comb..

14C. lin a l-leilmann type cotton comber, the combination of an actuated feed roll, means for nipping the end of the lap, a comb cylinder for combing the same, a detaching roll adapted to detach the tuft from the lap, and means for starting such actuated ieed roll in motion to advance the lap immediately following the tutt detachment.

l5. lin a Heilmann type cotton comber, a series of combing heads, a top comb shait having a top comb, a detaching segment and a detaching roll for each head, and controlling means whereby the top` comb is depressed from its waste limit to its lowest depression after the head of the tuit has been gripped by the detaching roll, in combination with a -feed roll adapted to hold the lap stationary 'while the tutt is being' gripped, and means ior rotating such roll to advance the lap immediately following detachment ot the tutt.

lln testimony whereof, l have signed this specification in the presence oi" two witnesses..

GlEUltGlE M. Wlll'llihl..

Witnesses:

lEtoBnn'r W. binarie, @scan lh. Uwnn,

@epica et 'this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the tomnltsaioncr et Patents, Washington, it. il. 

